These are some things I have learned through the years…
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Rulers and Preachers
“Then Samuel explained to the people the behavior of royalty, and wrote it in a book and laid it up before the Lord. And Samuel sent all the people away, every man to his house.”
I Samuel 10:25 NKJV
America isn’t technically governed by royalty, but the above verse certainly has an easily extracted principle.
The servants of the Lord (be they prophets, pastors, or teachers) have a responsibility to instruct people how their rulers ought to act.
Gratitude
“…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
~ I Thessalonians 5:18
To not do the will of God, most would define as sin. Therefore, ingratitude is a sin. Perhaps it is a sin most easily remedied. It shouldn’t take hours of counseling or deliverance to spring one out of ingratitude. It simply takes a proposed confession of saying, “Thank-you”. I am one of those who believes there is a connection between gratitude and miracles. I am convinced that when I can be genuinely grateful for the blessings and circumstances (yes, even the tough ones) of my life, I provide an atmosphere for faith to be released and God to work supernaturally.
The Call to Preach
Almost 50 years ago, when I was called into the ministry to preach the Gospel, it was normal to hear messages on a routine basis about God’s vocational call to ministry, preaching, or missionary service. It was a part of the work of the church to issue the call and pray for the Spirit to call His servants into full-time Christian service. Especially the call to preaching and teaching.
This may still be taking place in some churches, but candidly, I don’t hear those messages much, or at all.
It’s catching up to us.
Uncommon
“But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living. For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
- I Peter 1:15-16 AMPC
Most people confuse or conflate the word “holy” with the word “righteous”. There may be overlaps, but there is a distinction which is noteworthy. To be “holy”, is to be…
Uncommon.